Learning Curve: English version of 9/14 post!

Before You Throw Away Trash....

A New Look at Value

By The Rev. Marcia McRae of the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia

A Meditation for Holy Cross Day, Sept. 14, 2012

Y

our server in a restaurant brings a straw with your drink. Thin paper covers the straw to keep it clean. That’s its only value. When you remove it to use the straw, that bit of paper looks worthless – just trash to toss out, not even worth recycling....Can you imagine it has any value?

My friend, Ann, demonstrates that it does! In the video she shows how she uses that bit of paper to entertain her grandchildren in a restaurant. She makes the paper “come to life” and look like a worm. A grandmother adds value to a bit of trash. She revives its worth with a bit of water.

H

ow much more value God adds to our lives! How much more can we come to life through the Living Water that is Jesus! Ann’s simple demonstration reminds us to look beyond the obvious, to see with new eyes, to see the value Jesus adds to our lives. In God’s economy, nothing is wasted. Jesus’ death on the cross proclaims our value.

May we remember this lesson today (Sept. 14, as we commemorate Holy Cross Day) and every day. May we see anew the value of every human being – our brother, our sister in the human family. Each person has great value to God. May we remember this when we see ourselves as having little value.

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y brothers and sisters, we are of great value because of the Cross of Jesus. We are beloved of God. Amen.

 

Postscript

I thank Ann and her husband, Pete, for their assistance with this presentation.

 

...With God’s help we will respect the dignity of every human being.	...Con el auxilio de Dios, respetaremos la dignidad de todo ser humano.
Baptismal Covenant Book of Common Prayer  p. 305	Pacto Bautismal El Libro de Oración Común  pj. 225.